Collet connectors are commonly used to provide a remotely actuated connection between tubular members such as pipelines or other tubular members. In the oil and gas industry it has been common practice for each manufacturer to have its own design for connections between components and with collect connectors the ends of the tubular members have a different configuration.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,096,999 to A. G. Ahlstone et al dated July 9, 1963 illustrates one form of collect connector which has been used in the past having tapering shoulders on short hub type flanges which are engaged by latching fingers to maintain the tubular members connected. The latching fingers are moved by a ring which cams them into latching position and such ring is moved by a suitable actuator. The tubular members are sealed with respect to one another by an annular seal ring made of a resilient material.
Another example of a similar joint used in underwater well completions is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,595 to B. H. Nelson et al, dated Nov. 21, 1967. This structure is quite similar to the Ahlstone et al structure except that the sealing between the two members is accomplished by a tapered metal seal ring positioned between the two members in engagement with tapered surfaces machined in the inner surfaces of the members at their connecting ends.
The A. G. Ahlstone Pat. No. 3,321,217 dated May 23, 1967 discloses another type of joint construction which is controlled by remote actuation to move latching segments into multiple grooves in the exterior of one member and the segments are secured to the other tubular member.
Difficulty is encountered in making a remote connection between tubular members which are prepared for separate types of latching members or end preparations.